Electric feed devices



March 28, 1967 HEDENSTRM 332L212 ELECTRIC ,FEED DEVICES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1964 M h 28, 1967 E. A. G. HEDENSTRGM 3 311 212 ELECTRIC FEED DEVICES Filed July 13, 1964 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arrx March 28,1967 EAGHEDENSTRW asmmz ELECTRIC FEED DEVICES Filed July 13, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H am 2| f INVENTOR ERIK ANDERS eusmv HEDENSTRO'M BY y pw'f ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,311,212 ELECTRIC FEED DEVICES Erik Anders Gustav Hedenstriim, Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to SIS S.A., Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 382,296 Claims priority, application Sweden, July 22, 1963, 8,091/ 63 2 Claims. (Cl. 197-133) This invention relates to an electric feed device for continuous webs, blanks or the like in typewriting or like machines, said device com-prising a control disc which is adapted to rotate in synchronisrn with the feed movement of the web, and a mechanism cooperating with said disc for actuating a switch for controlling the disc. Normally said actuating mechanism occupies a position in which the circuit through the switch and the drive of the feed device is closed, but when the mechanism engages the control means of the control disc it is adapted to take a position corresponding to the position of the switch when the circuit therethrough is open. The feed device according to the invention is substantially characterized by the fact that the switch is also adapted to be actuated by a rocker arm or like member which is adapted normally to hold the switch in a position in which the circuit therethrough is open, but which is adapted, after a starting pulse has been given to the drive, to occupy a position in which it permits the switch to take a position in which the circuit therethrough is closed. As a consequence, it is the rocker arm that by a starting pulse produces the closing of the circuit in the switch when it is desired that the feed device advance the continuous web, while it is the mechanism cooperating with the control disc that opens the circuit through the switch when the feed device shall cease to drive the continuous web. The control disc cannot start the drive by means of the mechanism cooperating with it; to make the drive operative the typist has to produce a starting pulse. The invention thus provides a reliable and simple feed device.

These and further features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing which shows a feed device chosen by Way of example.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the feed device;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of said device, a number of parts having been omitted for greater clarity; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the circuit of the invention.

The platen 1 of a typewriting machine is coupled via a gearing 2 to the control disc 3 so that the latter rotates in synchronism with the feed movement of the continuous web. The gearing 2 has such a transmission ratio that the disc 3 makes a full revolution for each length of blank in the advanced web. One or more gears in the gearing 2 are exchangeable for larger or smaller gears to permit adaptation of the feed device to blanks of different lengths.

Each length of blank in the cointinuous webs may be arranged to accommodate one or more printing lines in areas of said blank, which are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the web. During the printing operation the web is line-spaced in the usual manner by means of the line-spacing mechanism of the typewriting machine but as there may be a considerable number of lines between successive areas to be printed it is desirable that the web be quickly advanced to the position for printing the next area. It is this quick feed that is realized by means of the device according to the present invention.

Thus, the disc 3 makes a complete revolution for a complete cycle of advancement of a web. Such a cycle of advancement can comprise the succession of blank spaces of different dimensions, for example if on each sheet (corresponding to a given length of the web) there are two or more blank spaces to be provided.

One complete cycle comprises as many blank spaces, of equal or different size, as a sheet has to have of such blank spaces.

Therefore the speed of advancement of the web being constant, it is necessary to have interchangeable gearing to modify the speed of rotation of the disc 3 so that one full revolution of it corresponds to the advancement of a length of web corresponding to a sheet.

The feed device comprises an electric motor 4- which via a clutch 5 and a gearing 6 drives a shaft 7 which is in driving connection with the shaft 9 of the platen 1 via a worm 7a and a worm wheel 8. A pawl 10 is pivotally mounted on worm wheel 8 to engage a ratchet 1 9a fixedly mounted on shaft 9 so as to provide a one-way drive connection between motor 4 and platen '1 while permitting independent line spacing movement of platen 1 in the same direction.

Connected in the circuit of the electric motor is a switch 11 whilh has an arm 12 pivoted thereto. In the upper swung position of said arm 12 the circuit through the switch 11 is closed, and in the lower swung position of said arm 12 the circuit through the switch is open.

The control disc 3 cooperates with a mechanism 13 for the actuation of the switch 11. The mechanism 13 consists of a feeler arm 14 and a spring-biased arm 16 connected to the said feeler arm and having an abutment 15. The arm carries at its extremity the abutment 15 and is connected at its other end through shaft a to the feeler arm 14.

Around said shaft 11 is disposed a coil spring b which has elongated ends 0, a. One end c of said coil spring 12 abuts on a lug e fast with the arm 1:; whereas the other elongated end d of said coil spring rests on an abutment g fast with the frame of the machine.

In this way, the coil spring b biases the arm 1-5. Normally, the mechanism 13 is adapted to occupy a position in which it permits the arm 12 of the switch 11 to occupy its upper swung position. In this position the feeler arm 14 engages the periphery of the disc 3. When engaging the notch or recess 17 of the control disc 3 the mechanism 13 occupies the position corresponding to that position of the switch 11 when the circuit therethrough is open. In other words, the abutment 15 retains the arm 12 in the lower swung position thereof. In this position the feeler arm 14 engages recesses 17 provided in the periphery of the disc 3 and thus constituting the control means of the disc 3. The notches 17 correspond to the positions on a given sheet where an area of writing begins.

According to the invention the switch is also arranged to be actuated by a rocker arm 18 or the like. Said arm is adapted normally to hold the switch 11 in the position in which the circuit therethrough is open. However, the rocker arm 18 is adapted, after a starting pulse from the typewriting machine to the drive, to occupy the position shown in the drawing in which it permits the arm 12 to occupy its upper swung position which corresponds to the circuit through the switch 11 being closed.

The rocker arm 18 is a two-armed lever one end 19 of which cooperates with the switch 11. while its other end 20 cooperates with an electromagnet 21. The electromagnet 21 is connected in the circuit of the motor 4. The rocker arm 18 is adapted to occupy the position shown in the drawing when the circuit through the motor 4 is closed.

The rocker arm 18 has further function. It cooperates with the clutch in the movement transmission device between the motor 4 and the platen 1. The clutch 5 is adapted to occupy its position of engagement when the circuit through the electromagnet 21 is closed, as will appear from the drawings. Conversely, the clutch 5 is disengaged when the circuit through the electromagnet 21 is open. The motor 4 thus ceases to drive the platen 1 simultaneously as the circuit through the motor 4 is opened. Consequently the drive is independent of forces due to inertia and like forces. Specifically, arm 18 bears at 18a against male member 5a of clutch 5. Male member 5a is disposed in female member Sb, and a coil compression spring 50 acts between members 5a and 5b to urge 5a toward disengaged position. Thus rocker arm 18 swings clockwise as seen in FIG. 1 to engage clutch 5 and counterclockwise to disengage clutch 5.

The quick teed movement is thus initiated by means of a switch or the like in or adjacent the typewriting machine upon completion of each printing operation, while the duration of said movement is controlled by means of the recesses 17 made in the control disc 3.

The control disc 3 which may be of cardboard, plastic material or the like is readily exchanged for another disc 3 the recesses 17 of which are conformed to a blank with an arrangement of printing areas of surfaces differing from that of the earlier blank.

Upon actuation of push button switch S, the electromagnet 21 displaces the arm 18 in the direction of the arrow i thus liberating the arm 12 which thus passes from its lower to its uppermost position, due to spring biasing of switch 11, corresponding to that position of the switch 11 when the circuit therethrough is closed. The motor 4 is thus started and, upon release of switch S, the arm 18 falls back in a position for which its upper end abuts against the front end face of the arm 12. Now for that upper position of the arm 12, the feeler arm engages the periphery of the disc 3. When the feeler arm en gages the control means 17, the arm 12 is swung back into its lower position for which the switch 11 is opened, and the arm 18 falls back into its initial position thus locking the arm 12 in this lower position. A new cycle can then be initiated again by a new impulse given to the electromagnet 21 in closing temporarily switch S.

In other words, in initial position when the motor 4 is at a standstill, the hook member 19 of the rocker arm 18 engages the outer end of arm 12 so that the latter keeps the contact X of the switch 11 in its depressed position in which the circuit through the switch 11 is broken. This is realized by the spring 5c cooperating with the rocker arm 18 and included in the clutch 5.

The motor 4 is started by a momentary actuation of the contact connected in parallel with the switch 11. At said actuation the electromagnet 21 attracts the end 20 of the rocker arm 18, which results in the arm 12 being released by the hook member 19. The arm '12 is swung outwardly by spring action and the contact occupies its outer position in which the circuit through the switch 11 is closed. The switch 11 thus immediately takes over the function of the momentarily actuated contact of keeping the circuit through the motor 4 closed.

The motor 4 will now drive the feed device until the current supplied to it through the switch 11 is broken. This takes place when the feeler 13 with its bent end portion engages in one of the recesses 17 in the periphery of the disc 3. At said engagement the pin 15 will urge the arm 12 inwardly and thus the contact X of the switch 11 to a position in which the circuit through the switch 11 is broken. At the same moment, the action of the electromagnet 21 on the rocker arm 18 is cancelled and said rocker arm is thus swung by the spring 50 to the position in which it blocks the arm 12. However, the circuit is broken only after the end of the arm 12 has gone past the hook member 19 so that said hook member cannot form an obstacle for the contemplated swinging movement of the arm 12.

Because the rocker arm 18 blocks the arm 12 in the manner indicated, the motor 4 cannot possibly be started by an impulse from the feeler 13. This would otherwise be possible when the bent end portion 14 of the feeler 13 again engage in the periphery of the disc 3. In order that the motor 4 shall start, it is thus necessary that the contact be actuated which is provided for this purpose and is connected in parallel with the switch 11.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawing but permits of being modified in several ways within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a web-manipulating machine, the combination of electrically operated means including web-feeding means for feeding the web lengthwise past an operating stat-ion, a control circuit for said electrically operated means, a rotary program disc having at least one recess in the periphery thereof, feeler means, means for rotating the disc past said feeler means in synchronism with the feeding of the web whereby said recess arrives at the feeler means at intervals corresponding to the feeding of a corresponding length of the web past the operating station, a switch cooperating with said feeler means, said switch having a contact and having an operating member for moving said contact between open and closed switch positions, said switch being provided in the control circuit and operable in dependence on the movement of the feeler means into the recess to stop the feed, a rocker arm which in one position maintains said operating member in its position in which the feed is stopped and which in another position releases said operating member, spring means urging the rocker arm toward said one position, and an electromagnet disposed in the control circuit and acting opposite to said spring means, when energized, with a force great enough to move the rocker arm to said another position.

2. Structure as claimed in claim 1, said electrically operated means further including a motor for driving said web-feeding means, and a clutch between the motor and said web-feeding means, said rocker arm being interconnected with the clutch to disengage the clutch when the rocker arm is in said one position and to engage the clutch when the rocker arm is in said another position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,110,855 3/1938 Fyfe et al 197-133 2,189,025 2/ 1940 Carroll et al. 197-133 2,285,258 6/1942 Doty 197-133 X 2,790,528 4/1957 Teitler 197-133 2,800,073 7/1957 Block 197-133 X 2,806,692 9/1957 Stimson et al. 197-133 2,885,053 5/1959 Davidson 197-133 2,919,783 1/1960 Stimson 197-133 2,981,396 4/1961 Lane 197-133 2,983,355 5/1961 Taperell 197-133 3,019,881 2/ 1962 Cetran et a1 197-133 X 3,028,944 4/1962 Taperell 197-133 FOREIGN PATENTS 802,893 10/1958 Great Britain.

830,893 3/ 1960 Great Britain.

869,891 6/1961 Great Britain.

905,114 9/ 1962 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WEB-MANIPULATING MACHINE, THE COMBINATION OF ELECTRICALLY OPERATED MEANS INCLUDING WEB-FEEDING MEANS FOR FEEDING THE WEB LENGTHWISE PAST AN OPERATING STATION, A CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR SAID ELECTRICALLY OPERATED MEANS, A ROTARY PROGRAM DISC HAVING AT LEAST ONE RECESS IN THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, FEELER MEANS, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE DISC PAST SAID FEELER MEANS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE FEEDING OF THE WEB WHEREBY SAID RECESS ARRIVES AT THE FEELER MEANS AT INTERVALS CORRESPONDING TO THE FEEDING OF A CORRESPONDING LENGTH OF THE WEB PAST THE OPERATING STATION, A SWITCH COOPERATING WITH SAID FEELER MEANS, SAID SWITCH HAVING A CONTACT AND HAVING AN OPERATING MEMBER FOR MOVING SAID CONTACT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED SWITCH POSITIONS, SAID SWITCH BEING PROVIDED IN THE CONTROL CIRCUIT AND OPERABLE IN DEPENDENCE ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE FEELER MEANS INTO THE RECESS TO STOP THE FEED, A ROCKER ARM WHICH IN ONE POSITION MAINTAINS SAID OPERATING MEMBER IN ITS POSITION IN WHICH THE FEED IS STOPPED AND WHICH IN ANOTHER POSITION RELEASES SAID OPERATING MEMBER, SPRING MEANS URGING THE 